UDF soft-pedals on Thomas Chandy scam

Thiruvananthapuram: The UDF seems to have decided to go soft on the allegations of land encroachment by transport minister Thomas Chandy in the Assembly and focus on the demand for resignation of health minister K.K. Shylaja instead. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala is understood to have suggested that th UDF must take up the political fight against Ms Shylaja’s alleged involvement in the appointment of a member to the Kerala State Council for the Protection of Child Rights. Although the younger MLAs demanded that the Chandy issue be taken up, Mr Chennithala told them that it was better not to bring in too many issues.

It was Eldhose Kunnapally, Roji M. John and Shafi Parambil who were keen to see that the Chandy issue also be taken up in the Assembly. “But these young MLAs were told by Mr Chennithala not to take up too many issues and instead just concentrate on Ms Shylaja,” a Youth Congress leader told DC. “Unfortunately when the media is going to town against the corrupt practices of Mr Chandy, here the Opposition is keen on taking up an ordinary issue.” The Congress has been taking a cautious stand ever since Mr Chandy was embroiled in a controversy over illegally acquiring land and spending government funds on a road that leads to the resort he owns in Alappuzha. The party has been on a sticky wicket after it came to light that Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P. J. Kurien had diverted money from his Rajya Sabha funds for land expansion of a resort belonging to an NCP leader. But Mr Kurien came upfront on Tuesday demanding that if the funds he had allocated had not benefitted the local people, then Mr Chandy was answerable.

A Congress MLA told DC that the Congress leadership was playing “adjustment politics” much to the disappointment of the majority of UDF MLAs.  “So far only two Congress leaders-- former PCC president V. M. Sudheeran and Alappuzha DCC president M. Liju--have come out in the open against Mr Chandy,” said a Congress MLA. “Mr Liju led a march by the local DCC leaders to the resort on August 19.  He has also joined hands with Mr Sudheeran to hold a protest meeting scheduled at Kainkary panchayat on August 29." Mr Liju had also shot off letters to the chief minister, agriculture minister and revenue minister seeking their intervention in the issue.